Stylish and sustainable fashion has never been easier to purchase or admire as sites dedicated to all things clothing and chic turn an eye towards the earth. Green designers and stylists have started an “eco-revolution” and created a wave of inspiration and admiration from Hollywood and beyond. Eco-designers are thinking more like architects than activists, and are designing with contemporary and modern silhouettes. Green fashion is no longer relegated to bohemian-hippies but now is finding itself rocking the runway and making major impact on celebrity clothing lines.
Stars like Emma Watson (of Harry Potter fame) has only 100% organic and Fairtrade cotton in her label Love from Emma, which debuts in partnership with People Tree in 2010. And models are getting in on the eco-act too. Famous for her Brazilian body and her new Brady (as in Tom) baby, Gisele Bundchen has launched Ipanema Footwear. The line pays homage to the ocean in its colorful and decorative sandals and promotes the preservation of the ecosystem, specifically, marine life. Finally, tween queen, Selena Gomez started Dream Out Loud, full of fun and flirty female fashions with a focus on earth-friendliness. With all this exposure, eco-fashion is finding itself saturating the mainstream and stealing the limelight from clothing chemicals and colored dyes.
Ethical chic has been made easier with many eco-conscious online retailers banking on business from socially and environmentally responsible consumers. There’s also an array of green bloggers who are taking the web by storm and giving fun and fresh energy to a topic that can seem more science than style. Sites like Haute Nature (hautenature.blogspot.com), use a combination of art and information to surprise and encourage the green fashion movement. (One recent entry shows nearly-naked models, one posed as a sheep being shorn of his wool.) Righteous (re) Style is another blog making environmental fashion seem hip and hot. The blog encourages secondhand style sources and buying vintage (righteousrestyle.com). Finally, evolvedfashion.com is a perfect site for fashion-lovers to celebrate Mother Nature and modern chic, it presents news and insight into the green fashion industry and discusses organic clothing materials.
In addition to the aforementioned sites, fashion and passion for the planet collide in the super sophisticated website-blog called ecouterre (ecouterre.com). Jill Fehrenbacher, the editor-in-chief and founder, created an uber-upscale website devoted to beauty, fashion, accessories, design and shopping. The site highlights innovations in technology (like fiber manufacturing) that make eco-conscious living more desirable and accessible. Jill currently resides in New York and studied architecture and art semiotics in college. She adores rooftop gardens, lives for vegan junk food and has been featured in Vogue, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.
For more proof of the eco-revolution, a model-celebrity is making the rounds and exemplifying the eco-chic attitude. With a name that couldn’t be more fitting for her planet-preservation cause, Summer Rayne Oakes, was born into beauty and transformed her love of the land, namely her picturesque backyard in a town in Northeastern Pennsylvania into selling and seeking sustainable styles. Oakes graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelors of Science in Natural Resources and Entomology. She is also a Udall Scholar and National Wildlife Federation Fellow. Oakes has since been labeled with the title “eco-style expert” and “social entrepreneur” in her quest to produce books, blogs and fashion items like sustainable shoes. 
These fabulous eco-shoes by Zoe & Zac can be found at Payless Shoe Store. Oakes is helping to pique interest in the green movement by using her fabulous face and fashionable portfolio to create buzz. Her book Style Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion and Beauty is a must have for every woman. It has been offered as one of Hip Moms Go Green Giveaways before because it is packed full of valuable information and resources related to beauty and fashion.
Fashion shows and model-celebrities like Oakes, ignite interest in the environment and its causes. And more and more websites are turning green into fun, hip and accessible by documenting fashionable feats in the eco-world and transforming them into digital magazines and web videos. Hip Moms Go Green is no different, and will begin featuring videos of fashion shows, designers and lots of runway footage on HipMomsGoGreenTV.com These videos will be full of trendy footage into the fierce world of fashion as well as offer entertainment and encourage support for sustainable stylists and designers. In addition, Hip Moms TV will feature the ultra-glam CocoEco Magazine and showcase sizzling photo shoots with celebrities and green-minded fashion in action.
Go! Other Stylish Sites with Green Lights
EcoDiva- Love the mission statement and the site.
Mission Statement:
Eco = to educate and empower you to make better choices in beauty for your health, the environment and our future,
Diva = while still reflecting your inner most style and personality
Stylewillsaveus.com
A digital magazine full of high-fashion and lots of style scoop.
Ecofashionworld.com
Includes an eco-fashion finder, blogs and a ton of news on everything happening within the world of green and glam.
Hipmomsgogreentv.com
Fun eco-fashion videos of high-style runways and CocoEco photo shoots.
Thegreenloopblog.com
Features interviews with green designers and business owners as well as shopping tips.
Ecofabulous.com
Find earth-conscious places to shop, get ideas on how to “green” your wardrobe, and other style suggestions.
By: Amy Spagnola
Contributing Writer
This black two-layer waterproof and breathable rain shell represents the ultimate in sustainable style. It’s a perfect compliment to a fall hike or fishing trip with its rugged recreational comfort. It’s made of 100% recycled and recyclable polyester and is warm and durable.
This sleek space-age looking coffee maker uses no cords and no electricity. It has a lifetime stainless steel filter, is super portable and BPA free. In addition, by brewing in cold water, coffee results in 69.6% less acid, thus reducing heartburn and bitter tastes.
Made from PVC-free ballistic nylon this power pack is green friendly and coated with Environmental Pollution Omitting technology called Ecoweave. Ecoweave is an alternative to PVC chemicals and each backpack is free of chlorine, dioxin and other heavy metals. It’s also clean to recycle and creates H20 AND CO2 when burned.
Tagua is viewed as a sustainable alternative to ivory derived from animals and responsible harvesting may actually augment rainforest conservation in South America. The nuts are gathered only after they’ve matured and fallen from the tree and are dried, thinly sliced and permanently dyed (non-toxic) before transforming into pretty jewelry pieces. Locals Amazonian Indians believe that vegetable ivory or tagua nuts bring prosperity, happiness, love and abundance. Tagua is a terrific alternative to plastic and can also be found in items like buttons, sculptures, figurines and even chess pieces. The Palma Collection has been featured in Lucky Magazine, Women’s Health, and GQ magazine.
